//------------------------------// // Season 2 Prologue: Right Arm // Story: JTHW: Journey To Hearth's Warming // by Lighttone GryphonStar //------------------------------// The Pale Mare sat on a frostbitten throne of crystal and ice in silence waiting for an answer that she knew would never come. She had been looking back for hours, wanting with all her might to remember back to that day when things were better. Looking back through these events even with an outsider’s eyes wasn’t helping at all. She could see so much and understand even less with each passing second. It mattered not whether these events were her life or someone else it couldn’t give her the answers she was looking for. “Why” She lamented and brought what appeared to be a dark blue almost glass to her face. She rubbed its coldness across her face hoping the touch would wake her mind to the answers she hoped were there and she simply couldn’t see. “Why won’t--” She was stopped as a loud booming sound echoed through the walls around her. The pillars shook but the walls never faltered once. The noise returned again and made everything vibrate, making her lean into her knees. “Why won’t they let me figure this out on my own?” She could almost weep but the tears wouldn’t form. “I just don’t know what to do now? I made a choice… the choice… but was it right?” Sensing something, she turned toward her left. There was a window facing the north. Her eyes strained until they came upon the sight of an object that shined in the far distance. A tall crystal in the shape of a hand. “Did I make the right choice?” She questioned louder as if she was getting angrier toward whoever she was talking to. Reaching outward, the dark blue glass returned only for it to be shown to be none other than her right arm. Her entire right arm was a dark blue crystal limb. Reaching out higher to the window she pleaded, “Please, answer me, Crimson?!” ****** On the sunniest day thousand of miles, away and many years into the far off past a small town was going under construction. Once merely but ruins to all that looked upon it, now the new owners of the town wanted to see if they could bring it back to the glory it used to have. At the front gate, buckets of paint stood on a stand waiting for more dips as a few unicorns went to work. Doing their best to make the place shine. Two stallions and a small child approached the entrance. One stallion, a brown one, took in a deep smell. “Is that wet paint?” “Why, yes, it is?” A unicorn dropped and smiled. “We are just about to finish the final touches on the renewal.” “What this place called?” The blue stallion standing beside the brown stallion asked. “Gelum Voce Pia. We trying to rebuild it.” He turned looked at the sign. “This place was once abandoned, so much so that it was covered in wendigoes if you could believe it.” “Really? Incredible. What was it before the place was invested?” “A place of holy blessing from what I heard.” “Hmm, interesting.” The brown stallion brought the child closer. “Did you hear that killer? You're the kind used to live here.” The unicorn looked in confusion at his words. He wasn’t getting the obvious answer. At least not yet. Without warning, a gust of wind hit the sign, knocking the paint bucket downward. The unicorn rushed over to catch it in his magic but stopped at the strangest sight of all. The liquid of the paint was floating. Looking around, his eyes fell on the child as he waved his hand about. With each movement, the liquid became calmer. It was an incredible sight to see such a young child having so much control, but a closer look showed no magic being used at all, or at least none that could be clearly seen. Was this child truly this string or were there other forces at play here? The child was so happy at the sight of the liquid that he actually laughed a few times before setting it back down in the bucket. “Wow." “I know, this little butcher is so strong already.” The brown stallion cheered. “What his name?” The unicorn questioned. “His name…” The brown stallion picked up and child and looked directly into his eyes. The sight of his red eyes, such a unique color of red, rarely seen anywhere else in the world. “His name is…” ****** “Lord Frost, Lord Frost,” a single voice woke the wendigo up from his slumber. The icy beast slowly opened his red eyes and pushed on some glass. His eyes glowed for a moment and the liquid covering his body lowered with the sounds of tubes. The room was completely dark, yet he had no problems navigating his arm through the blackness. He reached over to the skull of his father and brought it over. He placed the mask over his face and his red eyes filled with his father's magic, turning them sapphire blue. “You can enter now, my loyal priest.” The door opened and shined a bright light into the room. It reveals the wendigo lying in a tank. The room itself was devoid of furnishes of any kind outside of the tank he slept in. There was a small rack where his clothes hung, a chair for him to sit and stand for the skull he wore. “Morning has arrived.” Carnival Carnage slowly rolled in on his unicycle. “Thule has already left for his mission, Kray has sent word for our mission.” “So that old alicorn has deciphered more of my father’s notes,” Indigo Frost sat and slowly exited the tank. The wendigo was completely naked. In the light, one could see the massive amount of old lashes and tears that covered his entire body. The mere sight of each wound always brought fear from his priest. "Do they... do they still hurt?!" "Yes." Indigo Frost kept a cool face to his priest's questions. "Every time I step out of that chamber." Lifting his hands upward caused all the liquid covering his body to move off of him easily and back into the tank's tubes. Once dry, he walked over to the clothes and put them back on once more. He was careful with each part, as all were made from the pelts and furs of his enemies. Taking a deep breath, he snapped the pants together before finally turning to face the priest. “I will go see somepony personally before we search for the next alathar.” “Are you sure? Are you sure that is wise?” “Do you doubt me?” Indigo Frost walked closer. “No, of course not, my great lord, my great lord.” Carnival lowered his head and prayed softly. “Calm yourself.” Indigo Frost placed his hand on Carnival’s head. “I have everything planned out to the finest point. I simply wish to meet with another one of our allies for the next phase of the plan. There is something I must confirm before we step closer.” He walked over to the doorway. Carnival stood still and thoughts traced over his mind. Finally, as his lord grabbed the door, he spun around and asked, “Does this have to do with that mare?” “Do not worry, Twilight is not the focus of this current mission." Indigo Frost's eyes narrowed. “There is a promise that must be kept.” ****** Twenty years before the current time... Legs kicked through the thickening puddles. The rain beat hard against his face as the lone white unicorn push through the weather. He was carrying something tight to his chest. So much panic and fear painted on his face far more than the rain as he wished to not drop it over, even loosen his grip on it. The slick ground was far crueler to him than the rain. It flipped between, gripping tightly to his feet to quickly let go with no warning. He pushed on, not letting it hold him back. Eventually, the rushing caught up with him as he smashed face-first into the mud. He screamed out to the stuff in his hand as he flew. The mud of the ground quickly punched his mouth shut. The sounds of cracking filled his heart with so much fear. "No, no, no," He hit the ground with his fist multiple times before finally picking himself up to his knees. His eyes strained at the sight of the shattered glass. The rain was quickly diluting the viscous liquid, turning its slow movement into a quick drain. Rushing over, he scratched at the liquid in vain. "Get back in there!" All he pulled out was more mud. Without warning, a sharp piece of glass stabbed into the hand. He quickly pulled back in pain, scraping at the bloody wound. "No, no, DAMN IT!!" he yanked the glass out and fell onto his elbow. He turned back to the liquid, but it was too late. Despite his struggles, the stuff had fully drained away. "No..." His face dropped to the ground. "Now what will I do?" Tears poured forth. "I... I... I can't lose her." The rain stopped without warning, yet the unicorn didn't seem to care. Even when snowflakes replaced the drops of rain, he refused to lift his head up. He simply stayed in place, hoping this despair would consume him. It was almost like selfishness was convincing him to stay in place to not see her disappointment. "You can't lose her?" A voice spoke outward. The white unicorn quickly lifted his head, only to jump at the sight of a wendigo standing a few meters away. "What? Stay back?" He reached for his sword. "Stop," The wendigo held out his hand in a gesture of peace. "Answer my question, You can't lose her?" "My..." The white unicorn stopped. His thoughts paused for a moment over this creature. For what reason could a wendigo want to know such an answer? Weren't they just wild beasts? Feasters of the intelligent, could one ever understand his pain? "Answer me, please." The wendigo walked closer, but ever so slowly. The white unicorn jumped back again and pulled out his sword. "I... I see..." The wendigo stopped his advance and retreated his hand. "Looks like I was wrong. I thought you would differ from others." It was at that moment the white unicorn realized the truth and dropped his sword. "No, it's not like that..." He attempted to stand up. "My... my daughter is very sick." "And you wish not to lose her, right?" The wendigo walked closer and reached his hand out. "Yes." The white unicorn was still hesitant at first, but soon took the wendigo's hand. "Then I promise to help you." The wendigo smiled. ******